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"it is for forbidden to do something good for someone who does not acknowledge the good"

is this true? what is the source of this? who else holds like this?

at this site it says:

Maharal explains (in Gur Aryeh on Rashi for Bereshit 2:5, s.v. ve-Ein Makir be-Tovatam), “V’assur laasos tovah l’ish she’ein makir b’tovah — it is forbidden to do something good for someone who doesn’t express gratitude for the good.”

Rabbi Arush seems to say this idea is from the Hazal
"בגן השלום" של הרב שלום ארוש שליט"א, ע"מ 197

אמרו חז"ל שאפילו מי שאינו ממש כפוי טובה, רק הוא אינו מכיר בטובה- אסור לעשות לו טובה, ויתרה מזה אמרו, שכל העושה לו טובה הרי הוא כעובד עבודה זרה. נמצא, מי שיודע בעצמו שאינו יודע להכיר טובה, אסור לו לתת לאנשים לעשות לו טובות כי בזה הוא מכשיל אותם בעבודה זרה, ועובר על "לפני עיור לא תיתן מכשול" .

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    Is there a source for the quote from the Maharal other than the website says he says it? Also, do you have the page number for "The Garden of Peace" for those who don't understand the Hebrew text?
    – ezra
    Sep 24, 2017 at 18:06
  • @ezra that is what i am asking, all the information i know/found i gave (it is page 197 in the Hebrew version)
    – hazoriz
    Sep 24, 2017 at 18:29
  • @TamirEvan that is an answer another link sefaria.org/Gur_Aryeh_on_Bereishit.2.5.3 but it is missing the very good footnotes in your link
    – hazoriz
    Sep 24, 2017 at 18:44
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    so it is not "who doesn’t express gratitude" but who does not recognize the good, because we give tzedoko even if the person does not know who gave it and, but probably only if he recognizes that what he received is good
    – hazoriz
    Sep 24, 2017 at 19:05

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To bring an earlier source for this idea, I'll quote the following from what Rabbeinu Bachya wrote in Chovas Halevavos 3:10:19

ומקום הכילות על האכזרים והפתאים ומי שאינם מכירים את עצמם ולא ערך הטובה עליהם כמ״‎ש (שם ט) יוסר לץ לוקח לו קלון ומוכיח לרשע מומו ואמרו ז״‎ל כל העושה טוב למי שאינו מכירו כאלו זורק אבן למרקוליס

Miserliness is in place towards the cruel and foolish and those who do not recognize themselves, nor the value of the beneficence bestowed on them, as it is said, "He that reproves a scorner gets to himself shame: and he that rebukes a wicked man, it is a blemish to himself" (Prov. 9:7). Our wise men say, "He who does a favor to an ingrate is like a man who casts a stone to Markolis" (A form of idol worship in ancient times).

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  • +1 but i will b"n accept it if you find where "our wise men say" this
    – hazoriz
    May 7, 2018 at 16:58
  • Merape Lnefesh seems to say it is sefaria.org/Chullin.133a.51 the Tov Levanan says it is sefaria.org/Midrash_Mishlei.26.2 (the commentaries can be found sefaria.org/… )
    – hazoriz
    May 7, 2018 at 19:11
  • (the way i understand it is just like a someone will think that it is a good thing to do to through a stone on an idel, but if it is a Markolis he is wrong (it is forbiden to do it), same is by a someone who does not appresiate the good you think you are doing good by giving it to him but realy it is bad.
    – hazoriz
    May 7, 2018 at 19:17

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